The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-02-03
Our Evening Sermon
"And five of them were wise and five
were foolish. Matt. 25-2.

And five of them were wise and five
were foolish. Matt. 25-2.
The parable of the ten virgins is as IA
miliar to every Bible reader as the Book
itself. and no lesson could be more strik-
ing, or more highly illustrative Of the
weakness of humanity, on the one hand,
and the thoughtfulneSs and wisdom that
may find lodgment in the human compo-
sition, on the other. One Of the most la
mentable failings of humanity is negli-
gence. The mere fact that we drift along
complacently, without any visible harm
full results, tends to contentment that
takes dangerous hold upon the system,
and Injuries the whole character of the in
dividual. No thought, beyond present
enjoyment; no conception of any grand
possibilities for the heart and soul beyond
the quiet, and comfort, and resignation.
of the present; no desire for anything be-
yond the material enjoyments Of the pres
ent; no religious aspiration, no care for
anything to enlighten the mind, cheer the
soul, purify the heart, or tighten the path
way of life; no reaching out after glori-
Gus possibilities; no eagerness to stay the
soul upon the glory of Divinity; in fact,
no hope, beyond the mere feasting and
having good time. These five virgins
who were aroused at midnight ard dis
covered that they were unable to go to
the marriage, because of having useless
lamps. had the sad realization that while
their sisters had come prepared to walk
in iorl,t low I,,4 4.
to censure for the impossibility of their
enjoyment They had no light! All,
there's the terrible danger in the Chris
tian journey. How the glad soul reflects
back the rays of the lamp of Christian in
dustry, flooding the pathway of life with
radiance that invites wayfaring men in
to the scope of its beauty and enjoyment!
The man who carefully fills and trims his
lamp, and keeps it ever ready, is prepared
to successfully combat the combined pow
erS of darkness.
How many of US have seen the case of
the foolish virgins repeated in the expert
ence of everyday life. We saw young
man who found great sport and enjoy
ment in lowering about the pathway of
faithful Christians. and mocktng at
the brllliancy of their lamps. Every fea-
ture OF their work was made the subject
OF mirthfulness on his part. So brightly
shone their lamps that he saw an oddity
in the fact, that took on a ludicrous phase.
lie Went into the marriage ceremony and,
contrary to the picture of the case spoken
OF in the text, he enjoyed the light of 9TH
er mems lamps. But he could not get the
victory over the desire to laugh at those
lamps. Many of the lamps were new
and bright; many were old and worn;
some were of odd, even grotesque shape;
some were crooked, and battered, and
worn with service--but all were trim
med, filled, and clean. There's the point.
Not lamp but sent forth cheerful ray
OF light; not smoky chimney, nor
flickering blaze in the lot Thus the
young man enjoyed the light, and the fun,
for years. But during these years he had
himself been cropping about through the
world with one of the worst cases of Ian
tern the human ey esight ever beheld. 1t
was dingy, and smoky, and small; there
was nothing about it that could recon-
mend it to, or even claim the attention
of, anybody but the junk-dealer; he car
ried this dingy little lantern about as
though the greatest Importance attached
to it; as though it was performing a great
part in the history of the world, and in
the affairs of mankind. But there came
a time of surprise. The eyes were at last
opened. 1t suddenly dawned upon the
young man that, considered in the full
rich glare of the clean and filled lamps
his was the most miserable looking speci-
men of spiritual tinware his eyes had
been permitted to look upon. So, acting
upon mature thought and deliberation, he
took the dingy, smoky dilapidated old
lamp to pieces, polished the pieces with
the sands of Christian zeal, and put them
together and lit it all with the flame of
Christian love. Then it was easy to walk
along the pathway of faith, and be one of
the wise-for an abundance of oil was
furnished from the great supply depart
ment of the Infinite One. How the light
glimmered in the new pathway. How
bright things looked. How the old-fash- |
ioned, homely songs, sung, it may have
been, with rough voices, and so often
made the subject of jest, sounded in his |
young ears! He was in new field and a |
new work. His light was shining for |
God, and for his fellows. And so on down |
through life, he goes with lamp trim
med and burning, awaiting the glad |
hour when the great bridegroom shall
come and invite the wise and the faithful
into the sacred nearness which shall make
faithful souls rejoice in Savior's Love.
There is nothing in the life of a soul
more dangerous than neglect. We can
not entertain the belief that the Creator
Of the human family can be well pleased
with a slothful, careless way of living.
Bluff old Bishop Harris-and as good as
ne is bluff-said few years ago in the
NJ. E. Conference, that he detested the
song "Hold The Fort" The idea of an
army of Gods children shut up in fort
md acting on the defensive, was more
han he could entertain, Gods work
must be an aggressive, offensive warfare
against sin, and the throwing up of in
and settling down into
ense of safety, is not so easy to contem- 5
,late. The five foolish virgins were will !
ng to rest contented regarding the condi-
ion of their lamps, depending upon the :
of their more industrious and c
ealous sisters to supply them in time of c
iced. 1t is so with great many of Gods |
followers, in the Church.
there are generally certain number in :
very Church organization, who keep t
themselves in readiness for any service, L
nd any enjoyment. There are those
gain who are willing and content to let +
hese active ones do all the work, and fur O
ish all the light that may be needed to o
eep the good work moving. along but I
yhen the great spiritual feast shall come, .
he inactive ones will be anxious to be v